This invention relates to allergy testing methods and apparatuses, and more specifically to improved apparatuses and methods for testing a patient for a plurality of allergies at substantially the same time.
Allergy testing generally involves giving a patient a plurality of "prick tests." Each prick test is applied in order to determine whether or not a patient is allergic to a particular substance, such as pollen, animal dander, dust, foods, etc. A conventional prick test involves placing a drop of a test substance on the patient's skin and then using a needle to scratch the substance through the skin. If a reaction occurs, the patient is considered to be allergic to the particular substance. At present, allergy testing is carried out on an individual basis. Each test substance is dropped, one drop at a time, on the patient's arm or back. Each drop is then individually pricked through the skin with a separate needle. This is a very time consuming process (for both the patient and the practitioner) and very often involves multiple office visits for the patient. This leads also to a substantial amount of patient discomfort, expense, and inconvenience.
An object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatuses and methods for testing patients for allergic reactions to a plurality of substances, all at substantially the same time. The invention will reduce the time required for testing, minimizing patient discomfort, expense and inconvenience, and improving productivity.
A further object of the invention is to provide improved methods and apparatuses which will enable the plurality of allergy tests to be applied simultaneously without requiring a great deal of technical skill on the part of the operator.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatuses which used pre-packaged allergen and needles, which are easily insertible in and removable from a carrier, thereby facilitating loading the carrier with predetermined allergens, and improving the sterility of the apparatus.
Still another object is to provide an allergy testing system where the pricking of the skin is always done to a given skin penetration depth which is predictable and which is replicable without requiring highly skilled operators.